Aussie Andrew Winton’s flown in to swing it Saffron Walden’s way

A grey and chilly few months spent touring the cricket grounds of East Anglia may not sound like an obvious holiday choice for an Australian.

But when you are a 23-year-old swing bowler who has always been keen on testing their abilities in England, the brochures of sunny beach holidays go out of the window.

Andrew Winton is someone who fits that criteria perfectly and he is already having a whale of a time at Saffron Walden.

Not only is he playing for the first team in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League and looking forward to passing on his wisdom to the club’s youngsters, he has also got into the spirit of things by pulling a few pints behind the bar during last Sunday’s Royal London Club Championship tie at home to Cambridge Granta, for which he was ineligible.

Just do not expect the Perth resident to start turning up to matches in short sleeves any time soon.

“The grey, overcast days suit my bowling, so I don’t mind it too much, apart from it being a bit cold,” said Winton. “I’m usually the only one out there wearing three layers.

“The conditions certainly suit swing bowling, so I’m looking forward to getting stuck in. I’ll also be coaching and helping out with the training nights for the under-15s and 16s, I think, as well as doing a few one-on-one coaching sessions.

“I’m always happy to help out and I’m always available to help the club. I jumped behind the bar on Sunday as I couldn’t play.

“I’ve enjoyed it all so far and I feel like I’ve been here for longer than two weeks.”

The move to the Anglo-American Playing Fields came about through links with former Walden and Worcestershire batsman Elliott Wilson, who spent time at Winton’s team Mount Lawley District Club a number of years ago.

Winton, who plays in the first-grade WACA competition back home in Perth, began his EAPL career by taking 2 for 77 in the opening-day draw with Horsford.

“One of my coaches knew Elliott Wilson, so that’s where the contact was,” said Winton. “I told one of my coaches I was keen to come to England this summer and so it moved on from there.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I saw it as a good opportunity to further my cricket and work on my cricket during our winter.

“I finished my degree in civil engineering at Curtin University last year, so I thought now was a good chance to have a crack at it and come over here.

“I’d say I’m a bowling all-rounder. I open the bowling or come on first change at home, and then bat at No 7.

“We have to train two nights a week or we don’t play, basically. It’s quite professional in the way we go about our training.”

Winton is settling in nicely to his lodgings in the town, as well as at the club, and he is glad to have timed his visit perfectly when it comes to the balance of power in the latest Ashes series.

And the bowler, who will be aiming to add to his wicket haul at home to Great Witchingham tomorrow, wants to keep having fun on the pitch and see where it takes him.

“I’m glad we played well when the Poms came to Australia because when we played over here last year we were a bit of a laughing stock,” said Winton.

“It’s good we had this series to go on, otherwise I might have got a bit more stick.

“As long as you’re enjoying your cricket, that’s when you play your best. If you look at it as a job, I think that’s when you can trip up.

“I’m enjoying my cricket and I know I’ve got a good degree and a good job to go back to. The company I work for are quite flexible with me coming over here.”